Humidifier



Dec. 3, 1935. A..J. LoEPslNGER Y 2,022,680

HUMIDIFIER Filed May 4, 1931 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Y HUMIDIFIER Application May 4, 1931, Serial No. 534,825

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in humidiers. More especially ithas to do with a humidier adapted to be associated with a heating unit.

For some time past there has been a growing demand for a reallyeffective humidifier which would be capable of adding an appreciableamount of moisture to air whose flow is caused by a heating unit.Various devices have been proposed for this purpose but, so far as I amaware, none have attained a capacity of discharge which has been at alladequate. In general wicks made of textile material have been employedas the capillary agent but such wicks are subjected to the retardinginfluence produced by the impacting effect occurring throughout thematerial when wetted. At the surface of such wicks this effect resultsin a distinct smoothing or flattening-out, as it were, thus reducing toa marked degree the effective area exposed to the passing air.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a highly porouswick which is inherently rigid and unchangeable in character, having arough coarse surface with myriad depressions or hollows and acorresponding number of ridges or points. A wick of such material andshape always has an unalterable surface area and the water fed throughit by its capillary action is accordingly presented under most favorableconditions to the air passing by it. It is a further' object of theinvention to so locate the porous material with respect to the heatingunit that it will not only be generally hidden from view but moreespecially so that it will not appreciably retard the naturalcirculation of the heated air. Other features which characterize thepracticableness of the invention reside in the ready adaptation of thehumidifier to heating units already installed and the ease with whichthe discharge capacity of the device may be varied to meet the demandsof the region whose air is being moistened.

The best modes in which I have contemplated applying the principles ofmy invention are disclosed in the accompanying drawings, but it isintended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in theappended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in theinvention disclosed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of a heating unit and a humidifierembodying the principles of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the htunidier comprises anarrow shallow tank I in which water is stored. This may be suppliedmanually at regular intervals or may be maintained at a predeterminedlevel automatically by suitable means not sho-wn. The tank l ispurposely made narrow in order that it may be conveniently placed out ofview between the radiator B and the adjacent wall 1. Preferably it isclamped to the rear or wall side of the heating unit by suitable bolts8.

The water is conducted from the tank by one or more porous wicks 9 ofceramic material such as Filtros. This is made of a silicate sand andcan be moulded in suitable shapes and when properly fired will retainits designed shape unchanged. The capillary action of this material isvery rapid and is fully able to conduct the water from the tank to theexposed surface of the wicks. This surface is markedly rough having avast indefinite number of hollows and ridges which provide a largeeffective area for exposure of the water to the passing air. And thisarea remains unchanged in extent at all times being in no wise affectedby the wetting, as is the case when wicks of textile material are used.As a result of the rapid capillary action of the material and its largeunchanging surface area, the discharge of water effected by the materialis relatively high.

In Figures 1 and 2 the wicks are shown in the form of elbows with ashort arm 9a partly immersed in the tank water and with the longer arm9b extending horizontally outward between the sections of the radiator.Only two such wicks are shown but it is to be understood that the numbermay be varied as desired. There is an advantage in locating these wicksapproximately midway of the radiator in a vertical direction becausewhen thus positioned the cool air flowing upward is first heated, thenmoistened as it passes the wicks, and finally further heated before itleaves the heating unit. This last heating of the air after it hasacquired the moisture is benecial because it lightens the air and thuscounter-balances, as it were, the weight added by absorption of themoisture. This iinal increase of temperature of the moistened airreduces its relative humidity and prevents precipitation andcondensation. Moreover, this last heating directly aids the circulationand insures that the moistened air `will leave the radiator with anappreciable velocity.

The wicks shown in Figures l and 2 are simply placed in the tank atlocations conveniently defined by guide strips I0 clamped to the rearwall of the tank. If it is found that more moisture is being added tothe atmosphere than is desirable, one or more Wicks can be readilyremoved by merely lifting it or them from the tank. This ease of removaland replacement also lends itself to a cleaning of the wicks in theevent that foreign matter such as dust becomes deposited upon theirsurfaces. If this occurs the wick need but be held under a runningfaucet and promptly washed clean of such deposit.

I claim:

l. The combination with a sectional radiator of a humidier comprising areceptacle for liquid and an elbow-shaped wick of rigid earthy'materialsupported at one end in the receptacle; the other end of said wickextending a substantial distance into the space between the radiatorsections at such an elevation that substantial reheating of theair takesplace between the wick and the top of the radiator.

2. The combination with a sectional radiator of a humidier comprising areceptacle forliquid mounted on the side of the radiator and outside theconfines thereof; and a rigid wick having one end inserted in andsupported by the receptacle, and having its other end extending into thespace between the radiator sections a Fsubstantial distance; the saidreceptacle and wick being so positioned with respect to the radiatorthat air passing upward between the sections is rst heated, then absorbsmoisture from the wick, and thereafter is substantially reheated beforereaching the top of the radiator.

ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER.

